Quarterfinals: Kyle Goodman vs. Josh Tabak

Mary Van Tyne

Josh is no stranger to the Feature Match tables, but neither player has seen Feature Match tables like this. There are lights and cameras everywhere, and both players comment on the theme music that played before the match. But if they're nervous, it sure isn't showing as the players shuffle their cards.

Josh attacked with the Mongrel and the Lavamancer, discarding a Basking Rootwalla and a Violent Eruption to deal 10 points of damage to Kyle almost immediately. Josh used the madness mechanic in an incredibly skillful manner – he's almost completely unfazed by the lights and the cameras.

Josh attacked again with the Rootwalla and the Wild Mongrel, but Kyle used the Astral Slide to remove both from the game. Josh said, "I'll Firebolt you," casually, bringing Kyle to 5, then used his Grim Lavamancer's ability to deal more damage to Kyle.

Kyle attacked with the Cartographer and the Angel, taking Josh to a perilous 8 life. Kyle then played a Teroh's Faithful to go back up to 15 life, and played and sacrificed a Wooded Foothills. With one more mountain on the table, he must have felt much more confident. He cycled away the Secluded Steppe again to remove his creatures, then returned Forgotten Cave to his hand at the end of the turn.

Josh drew his card, surveyed his options, and conceded as he realized that things looked pretty hopeless.

Josh Tabak 0 – Kyle Goodman 1

Game 2

"How come we don't get a camera?" Kyle quipped as he and Josh shuffled for their second game. He was, no doubt, referring to the camera hanging over the other Feature Match area, where Sam Stein and Richard Oleksak were waiting to begin their second game as well.

Josh led this game with a Mountain and a Grim Lavamancer. He attacked on his second turn, but did not follow it up with a second-turn play (such as a Wild Mongrel). Kyle, meanwhile, was simply playing more lands – he ended his second turn with a plains, a mountain, and a Lightning Rift in play.

Josh attacked with the Lavamancer again and then cast a Volcanic Hammer at Kyle, who went down to 14. Kyle then cycled away a Slice and Dice to slay the Lavamancer. Josh kept the offense going, though, with a Violent Eruption at Kyle's head, taking him to 10 life.

"You don't have anything?" Kyle asked as he cycled away Krosan Tusker, dealt two points of damage, got a forest, and drew a card. Somehow, that felt like cheating, even though all plays were perfectly legal. Josh shook his head and kept throwing burn at Kyle's face, following up his previous Violent Eruption with another.

Kyle tossed off a second Lightning Rift and an Exalted Angel, but Josh's next play was a Static Orb. Kyle's Angel went on the offense, as Josh shook his head again as his poor luck. After playing a considerable amount of land, Kyle eventually cycled away a Forgotten Cave and a Secluded Steppe to deal just enough damage to finish Josh off.